Nothing makes me think of summer more than coconut. Whether it’s the smell of coconut- infused suntan lotion or the taste of a pina colada, the presence of coconut signifies sunshine, warm weather and fun. But coconut is more than just a sign of summer or the hallmark of a winter vacation somewhere warm: it is one of the healthiest foods you are probably not eating (or drinking!). Coconut is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber and it sustains about one-third of the world as a functional food: one that yields numerous health benefits even beyond its nutritional benefits. Today [Read More]

Whether you are going gluten-free or just trying to eat less of it, trying to reduce carbs or eliminating processed foods, there is a way to get your pasta fix! If you’d like to try a unntraditional variation on pasta that provides an opportunity to squeeze in another serving of vegetables, I also have one that doesn’t require making your own dough. It will keep the heat down in the kitchen, increase your vegetable servings, and even your kids will eat it! Raw foodies have known about zucchini noodles for years and now they are making their way into mainstream [Read More]

Every once in awhile, a study comes out blasting saturated fat and declaring it to be the cause of heart disease and other health concerns. This drives me crazy because it’s not true and typically there are serious flaws in the research. Saturated fat performs critical roles in the body (yes, we need it: more on that shortly) but it has been made a villain due to some poor research conducted many years ago leading to a myth that remains in place today. If animal fat was so bad for you, how could we have survived all these years dependent [Read More]

It’s my favorite time of year! Not just because the weather is finally warming up but because it is time for the Environmental Working Group’s annual release of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 fruits and vegetables. As we turn the corner, (finally!) toward Spring, it’s a perfect time to talk about choosing the fruits and vegetables and the tradeoffs between your health and your finances. As a result of the diminished nutrient profiles in foods due to modern farming practices, we need to eat more fruits and vegetables than ever. You may remember a prior article in which [Read More]